


Imperfection

by scribblenubbin



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-22
Updated: 2012-09-22
Packaged: 2017-11-14 20:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/519050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribblenubbin/pseuds/scribblenubbin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A re-write of the scene in astrometrics</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imperfection

Imperfection: Stardate 54129.4  
  
Seven of Nine was alone in the Astrometrics Lab, looking at pictures of the geological formations on Earth. As she looked at them, she couldn’t help but think that this was the closest she’d get to witnessing them in person. Her cortical node was deteriorating, and Captain Janeway and the away team had been unable to procure a suitable replacement—not that she blamed them. They had done their best, and the Captain had still not given up hope that they would find an answer. While Seven did not share the Captain’s optimism, she couldn’t help but feel comforted by it.   
  
Seven was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she barely inclined her head as the doors to the lab opened. It wasn’t until she heard Captain Janeway speak that she paid any real attention.  
  
“Earth’s biggest ditch, that’s what my father used to call it.” The Captain smiled at the image of the Grand Canyon on the view screen as she moved forward, leaning against the bulkhead. “We hiked the north rim when I was nine.”  
  
“It is an impressive geological formation,” Seven replied softly.  
  
“Too dusty. I’ve always preferred farm country myself.” The Captain rested one hand on her hip and the other on her knee, which was raised by the step her foot rested on.  
  
Seven looked down at the console in front of her and keyed in several commands, causing the arid image of the Grand Canyon to disappear and be replaced by the fertile green fields. The new image brought an instantaneous smile to the shorter woman’s face.  
  
“Bloomington, Indiana. Your hometown. You have mentioned it on several occasions.” What Seven failed to mention at this point was that ever since the Captain had first mentioned it after the Astrometrics Lab was completed, she had come up here and stared at the picture that was now on the view screen. There was a comfort in it for the ex-drone that she couldn’t quite explain.  
  
“So, what do you think?” Janeway asked, a smile stretching her mouth wide.  
  
“It appears to be a pleasant environment.” Seven couldn’t suppress the twinge of sadness that her voice carried.  
  
“When we get to Earth, I’ll take you there.” Janeway couldn’t help but want to show ‘her Borg’ the wonders that Earth had to offer.  
  
“It is more likely that this crew will reach Earth without me.” Seven was resigned to accepting the hand that fate seemed to be throwing at her.  
  
“You don’t know that.” Captain Janeway lowered her eyes and shook her head as she spoke.  
  
“You refuse to acknowledge the severity of my condition, just as I did at first.” The blonde bombshell looked at her superior officer, tears beginning to moisten her eyes.  
  
The response stung at Kathryn Janeway’s heart. Seven appeared to have accepted that she was beaten, and that wasn’t what the Captain had grown to expect from the younger woman. She expected, wanted, Seven to fight, to prove once again that she could overcome all the odds and prove that she was meant for something more. She folded her arms across her chest and pursed her lips, looking at the Astrometrics officer with pain etched across her face.  
  
“Are you giving up?” Captain Janeway asked sadly.  
  
“I am merely accepting reality,” Seven answered, causing the Captain to search carefully for her own answer.  
  
“If I had accepted reality six years ago, I would’ve settled on the first M-Class planet we came across. Instead, I’m thirty thousand light years closer to Bloomington, Indiana.” Janeway moved forward as she spoke, coming to rest leaning against a console that was closer to Seven.  
  
“Minus several members of your crew.” The Captain watched as the taller woman brought up a list of the deceased crewmembers. “Ensign Marie Kaplan, Ensign Lindsay Ballard, Crewman Timothy Long.” Janeway straightened and became stony-faced as Seven read off the names.  
  
“Is there a point to this?” The Captain sounded angry.  
  
“Every person on this list died under your command. You accepted their deaths. But I do not believe that you will accept mine,” Seven answered honestly.  
  
“That’s presumptuous.” The answer was automatic, a defence to hide the reality that Seven was in fact right.  
  
“I am not being egotistical. On the contrary, I am trying to make a point.” Seven’s relative calmness was maddening to the shorter woman.  
  
“Which is?” Janeway wasn’t used to being scrutinised like this, and it was making her uncomfortable.  
  
“All of these crewmembers came to Voyager with unique personalities, but I have required your constant assistance to develop my individuality.” There was a bitterness creeping into Seven’s tone.  
  
“And you’ve come a long way.” The Captain’s voice was gentle as she took a step forward.  
  
“But not far enough. I have disappointed you. You feel your task is incomplete. That is why my death will be difficult for you to accept.” Seven struggled to maintain her calm.  
  
“Is that what you think? That you haven’t lived up to my expectations?” Captain Janeway’s voice was barely above a whisper as she sat down, shocked and taken aback by Seven’s view of things.  
  
“Clearly I have not. But I wanted you to know that the failure has been mine, not yours,” Seven admitted her self-apparent failings with difficulty.  
  
“You haven’t failed, Seven. You’ve exceeded my expectations.” Tears were forming in Kathryn’s eyes as she spoke. “You’ve become an individual, an extraordinary individual. If I’m having difficulties in accepting your condition it’s only because I don’t want to lose someone I’ve grown to…” She tailed off, unable to say that last word as she choked on her tears.  
  
“You… think that I… am extraordinary?” Seven’s tears flowed freely.  
  
Captain Janeway stood and closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms tightly around the younger woman and resting her head on Seven’s shoulder. Seven gingerly returned the embrace. The two women stood like that for several minutes, Captain Janeway gently rubbing the back of the sobbing former Borg as her own tears soaked the shoulder of Seven’s cat suit. Eventually she pulled her head back but kept hold of the blonde. Her own blue eyes sought out Seven’s as she spoke again.  
  
“While I found the deaths of the other crewmembers hard to deal with, I did move on. Your death, however, would hurt me more than the death of any other member of this crew.” Janeway paused for a moment, trying to gather herself.  
  
“Captain…” Seven interrupted softly.  
  
“Let me finish, Seven,” she shushed the younger woman gently. “When I first severed you from the Collective, I questioned whether I was doing the right thing. But I’ve watched you grow, and with every step you’ve made toward regaining your individuality I’ve found myself realising just how right I was to rescue you. Seven, you have become so much more to me than ‘the girl I rescued from the Borg.’ You…” she took a deep breath. “I can’t lose you. I refuse to lose you, because… I love you.”  
  
“I… love you too.” Seven’s big blue eyes rested on the face of the shorter woman.  
  
“Promise me, promise me you’ll fight this, Seven. Promise me that we will continue to search for a way to save you,” the short redhead pleaded desperately.  
  
“As long as you take me to the farm you grew up on when we return to Earth.” Seven smiled softly.  
  
“Deal.” Janeway rested her head on Seven’s shoulder once again, a smile on her lips and a renewed sense of hope in her heart.


End file.
